I'm trying to teach a unit to special ed 9th graders on the Odyssey. Any suggestions to make it meaningful

Answer 1

Special education ninth graders are going to need a version with a readability level within their instructional range. This one looks interesting because it is in prose rather than poetry, and the terms are hyperlinked to explanations:
http://www.tonykline.co.uk/PITBR/Greek/Odhome.htm

Resources like Sparknotes may be useful in guiding students through the Odyssey:
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/odyssey/

You might bring an audiobook, like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Homer/dp/156511423X

Here's a site with a simplified introduction and a video:
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/literature/odyssey.htm

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 2

Your first answer was great and I want to add on. LD kids tend to be visual, whole to part learners. I would get a huge piece of butcher paper and make a longitudinal story map or time line so that they a visual of where they began and where they are going. It would be a great follow up activity for reading. It meets the requirement for interacting with the material and gives them a break from reading, which they also need. Plus, they are creating a story board that helps with memory deficits.